The ACT Government responds in a variety of ways to pressures affecting our air quality, which are assessed in detail in Chapter 10. Examples of local and national responses are included in this section.
The management effectiveness assessment found that the statutory, planning and policy frameworks are effective in managing air quality in the ACT. This is demonstrated by continuing improvements in reported air quality data.
4.4.1 Legal and policy framework
In the ACT, the Environment Protection Act 1997 and the Environment Protection Regulation 2005 provide the legal framework for the protection of air quality. The EPA enforces the legislation and relevant regulations.
The objects of the Environment Protection Act are to protect and improve the quality of the environment, and to prevent environmental degradation and risk of harm to human health by promoting a number of measures, including pollution prevention. Part 2 of the Environment Protection Regulation deals with emissions to air and provides the framework for regulation of activities that may have an adverse impact on air quality.
The Environment Protection Act provides for the making of Environment Protection Policies (EPPs), including for air. The EPA has developed an Air EPP, which aims to meet national ambient air quality standards and to minimise risk to the local community from air pollution.
As discussed, the Ambient Air Quality NEPM establishes national standards and a nationally consistent framework for monitoring and reporting for six common air pollutants. Each jurisdiction in Australia reports compliance against the NEPM standards to the Australian Government. The desired environmental outcome of the NEPMs is national ambient air quality that allows for the adequate protection of human health and wellbeing.
4.4.2 Management of pressures
The ACT Government is working to reduce PM from wood smoke attributed to heating in the winter months, because, in the past, this has accounted for most exceedances of the NEPM standards. However, figures from the most recent Air Quality Report (2014) show only one exceedance of PM standards attributed to wood smoke from domestic heating.
The ACT Government Environment and Planning Directorate runs a wood heater replacement program, which aims to reduce levels of air pollution related to wood heaters by helping residents to replace existing wood heaters with other heating methods. During the life of the program since 2004, approximately 1076 wood heaters have been removed from service and replaced with mains-supplied natural gas heating options. The directorate also conducts community education campaigns including ‘Don’t Burn Tonight’ and ‘Burn Right Tonight’ to provide the community with information about how to heat their homes with less impact on air quality.44
The environmental impact statement process controls development where air quality is considered as an issue – for example, there are restrictions on the installation of wood heaters in new developments where their use may reduce air quality because of the topographical location.45 During the reporting period, a comprehensive air quality assessment was undertaken for the Molonglo Valley development. A comprehensive assessment process such as this for all new greenfield developments early in the development process may assist with decisions about the suitability of wood heaters for each development.
The ACT Government is also working to reduce vehicle emissions and reliance on cars as the main transport method in the ACT. Measures that can be taken include:
- placing emissions controls on the vehicles themselves
- increasing the use of hybrid or electric vehicles
- urban planning to increase the use of public transport, including constructing a light rail system servicing areas of north and central Canberra
- increasing cycling or walking as transport options.